North Myrtle Beach October 27, 2011
Corrina Hopper, of Zanesville, OH, with a red drum that bit a live shrimp under a Pop It float while she was fishing near Little River with Capt. Patrick Kelly of Capt. Smiley's Fishing Charters.
Mark, of Shallow Minded Inshore Fishing Charters, reports that the speckled trout bite is getting better in the area, and anglers found fish scattered along the ICW from Shallotte Inlet to Little River last week (with some to 3.5 lbs.). Structure like docks, bridges, and oyster bars are holding most of the fish.
Live shrimp on float rigs or split-shot rigs are the best bets for the specks, but the shrimp are getting scarcer. There are plenty of small ones in the local creeks at present, but anglers need to weed through the little shrimp to find ones large enough to put on a hook.
There are also some trout feeding along the edges of oyster bars in the local creeks. Good numbers of red drum are looking for meals along the same bars, and the reds aren’t afraid to slurp down a live shrimp either.
The area’s resident redfish are beginning to transition into their cold weather haunts far up the area creeks where potholes and flats will provide forage for them all winter long. It takes a shallow-draft flats boat to get back to the areas where the drum live. However, there are already some schools working the backwaters, and the coming cooler nights will drop the water temperatures and move even more fish into the shallows. Anglers who target the reds in the backwaters will do well by casting lightly-weighted or weightless soft plastics (like Gulp baits) or natural baits (like chunks of crab and mud minnows).
A few big (40”+) reds were still working the Little River jetties last week, and anglers may still have a shot to hook up with one of the bruisers before they head south.
Some flounder are still feeding inshore, and anglers are picking up scattered fish along the oyster bars and near docks and other structure where the reds and trout are feeding.
A decent king mackerel bite developed last week at nearshore spots like the Myrtle Beach Rocks and the 410/510. Live menhaden are the way to go for the kings if anglers can find them.
Angie Boyarsky, of Little River, SC, with a 3.25 lb. flounder she hooked while fishign the General Sherman reef on the "Frequent Seas."
Steve, of Cherry Grove Pier, reports that anglers saw some solid spot runs last week, but it’s quieted down a bit. Natural and artificial bloodworms are the way to go for the spot, and anglers will likely see some more fish move past before the season is over.
Some sea mullet are taking an interest in bloodworms and shrimp on bottom rigs.
Anglers soaking live baits under the pier are connecting with flounder and a few large (40”+) red drum.
One enormous 6 lb. pompano was landed from the surf next to the pier last week.
